The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for managing devices on a network, and more particularly to a network based system and software for monitoring and managing devices that are not attached directly to the network, but are proxy attached to the network via another device.
Network computing systems typically require a variety of devices to construct and maintain a working storage system. In addition, companies with large networks typically have a number of different storage systems, many of which can be manufactured by different companies and/or run on different versions of operating software. Storage system devices may include, but are not limited to, host adapters, I/O chips, disk enclosures, and bridge controllers, to name a few.
Each of these components traditionally are managed by proprietary software that is supplied by its manufacturer. In addition, there are a number of third parties which have developed network management frameworks, such as Hewlett-Packard""s Open View, IBM""s NetFinity, and Computer Associates"" Unicenter. Unfortunately, however, while these third party frameworks provide great benefit to the management of applications, servers, and network equipment, they have little success in managing storage devices because no single standard exists for configuring and monitoring storage devices produced by different manufacturers, as well as different versions of storage devices produced by the same manufacturer. Standards such as desk top management interface (DMI) and simple network management protocol (SNMP) are able to manage simple devices such as host adapters and the like, but they fall short when applied to complex devices such as disk array controllers. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, it is not likely that a standard for managing disk array controllers will be created in the future, because unlike host adapters and disk subsystems, each disk array vendor is constantly releasing proprietary features to distinguish itself in the marketplace. It is well known in the art that devices, such as storage systems, can connect directly to the network using, for example, an ethernet or other suitable network adapter. Each device connected directly to the network has an IP address identifying itself on the network. Thus, devices communicating with these direct attached devices easily can locate them because of their unique IP addresses.
As one skilled in the art will appreciate, many devices, such as low end storage systems, or the like, do not connect directly to the network, but are connect to a server or other workstation via PCI, SCSI, fibre channel, USB, firewire, or the like. Thus, the only attachment to the network that these devices have may be through the proxy server device. Accordingly, it is difficult for other devices on the network to locate these devices, because they don""t have network IP addresses. Only the proxy server attached to the network has an IP address. It is particularly difficult to manage these proxy attached devices with online management frameworks, because the management stations cannot send suitable management commands to the proxy attached devices. Thus, what is needed is a management framework which can locate these proxy attached devices, and a system which can communicate management commands between a management station the proxy attached devices.
According to the invention, a system and method for monitoring and managing devices on a network. The system and method preferably comprises a proxy server connected to the network and a managed device connected to the proxy server. The system farther comprises storage means for storing a device management application program associated with the managed device, and a management station in communication with the managed device via the proxy server and in communication with the storage means. The management station preferably is configured to retrieve the device management application program from the storage means and process the device management application program. As the management station processes the device management application program, the management station is able to monitor and manage the managed device.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the managed device preferably is connected to the proxy server by a suitable communication connection. The communication connection may comprise peripheral component interconnect (PCI), small computer system interface (SCSI), universal serial bus (USB), fiber channel, firewire and the like.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the managed device preferably includes a controller for controlling the managed device. In accordance with this particular aspect of the present invention, when the management station processes the device management application program, the management station is able to send management commands to the controller via the proxy server. Preferably, the managed device is a storage system.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the proxy server preferably includes a device mapper which locates devices connected to the proxy server and assigns a TCP/IP port to each of the devices. Thus, when the device management application program of the management station sends management commands to the controller of the managed device, the device management application program first sends the management commands to the proxy server, and the device mapper in the proxy server routes the management commands to the managed device.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the device management application program preferably communicates with the proxy server using a first communication protocol, and the proxy server communicates with the managed device using a second communication protocol. Thus, the proxy server includes a protocol converter for converting communication messages directed from the device management application program to the managed device from the first communication protocol to the second communication protocol, and for converting communication messages directed from the managed device to the device management application program from the second communication protocol to the first communication protocol. Preferably, the first communication protocol is remote procedure call (RPC) and the second communication protocol is universal transport mechanism (UTM), and the protocol converter comprises an RPC-to-UTM conversion application.
A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments and claims when considered in connection with the figures, wherein like referenced numbers refer to similar items throughout the figures.